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The Runway, Perimeter Track & Hardstand remnants.
| The Perimeter Track on The Eastern Side |
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Not seen often on any of the old Essex USAAF airfields, the full width perimeter track or taxyway
on the eastern side of Willingale.
From their hardstands, the aircraft would taxy around this track to the runway in use
on the day. What a sight that must have been.
| One Of The Last Remaining Hardstands |
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Hardstands were just that, an area where the aircraft were parked,serviced and armed. Each aircraft
had a designated groundcrew to look after it. Often the groundcrew built shacks made from discarded bomb crates where they
sheltered from the cold biting wind in winter. It is said that the groundcrew 'owned' the aircraft they looked after, the
aircrew just borrowed it !
A picket point, this is where an aircraft would be secured against adverse weather conditions while
parked. Pictured on one of the remaining hardstands.
Runway lighting was of the DREM system. The arrow cast into the housing showed the direction the
lamp had to be installed in. The lighting was laid out at the edges, centreline and on the taxyways. Showing different colours
for visual aid on landing , take off and general aircraft movements on the ground.
The only full width piece of runway left at Willingale is this section. The other parts left are
only about 12 feet wide. It gives some idea as to the width of the runways laid down here.
| Where Two Runways Crossed |
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The above image shows where two runways crossed each other, the ridge of concrete visible in the
centre of the image shows the course of the missing runway No3.
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